NEWS ARTICLES Mark Hix to Host Festival for 3rd Year Dorset's Young Seafood MasterChef Search |
Mark Hix to Host Festival for 3rd YearWednesday 16 June 2010
News Release 14TH June 2010 Mark Hix to Host the 2010 Dorset Seafood Festival for 3rd Year The Dorset Seafood Festival can once again announce Mark Hix as the headline celebrity chef for the Dorset Seafood Festival, taking place 10th and 11th July 2010. One of the most popular events in the Dorset’s social calendar and attracting 40,000 visitors in 2009 the 2010 festival plans to be even bigger and better. Joining Mark on the main show stage will be wine expert and previous BBC Saturday Kitchen presenter, Joe Wadsack, and Mat Follas, winner of MasterChef 2009 and owner of the ‘The Wild Garlic’ restaurant in Beaminster. Mark and Mat will be demonstrating their culinary skills on the main stage and judging the Dorset Young Seafood Masterchef 2010 competition. John Wright, fungi and wild food expert, from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage will also return to the event to impart his knowledge on foraging. Giles Thompson, former chef director of The Ritz will also be demonstrating on the main stage. Local chefs will also have the chance to demonstrate their culinary prowess on a second demo stage positioned on the Custom House Quay side of the harbour. With circa 60 stalls this year creating a seafood village across the waterfront on both sides of Weymouth Old Harbour, foodies, gourmets, young and old will be able to enjoy a range of freshly cooked seafood dishes. Last year’s menus included; paella, scallops with asparagus puree and morel mushrooms, mussel chowder, barbequed mackerel, smoked salmon and crème fraiche pancakes But it’s not all about cooking and eating! The event is bursting with other sea related, family oriented events providing education and entertainment. The Pommery Cross Harbour Oyster Challenge will launch the festival when participants will race across the harbour, eat an oyster and toast the opening of the event with a glass of Pommery champagne . ‘Passionate about Fish’ will be returning to educate visitors on local indigenous species, giving children the chance to get up close and personal to some fabulous specimens. The final cook-off for the 2010 Dorset Young Seafood MasterChef Competition, demonstrations from the Historical Diving Society and a performance of a children’s puppet show ‘Oshima and the Big Sea’ at the Hope Reform Church in Trinity Street add enven more entertainment to teh weekend . The festival has also attracted a range of high profile businesses and brands including Pommery Champagne which is this year’s title sponsor, with additional support from Wessex Water, The Co-operative Membership, Ringwood Brewery, Wines of Chile and Lloyds TSB. ‘The profile of supporters and sponsors demonstrates the importance and success of The Dorset Seafood Festival. 'There are only 4 weeks to go and we are well underway in delivering an outstanding festival,’ said Dorset Seafood Festival chairman Roger Dalton. Ends Editor’s Notes |
